{"id":32879,"date":"2022-12-19T14:02:50","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T14:02:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/easydmarc.com\/blog\/?p=32879"},"modified":"2025-03-07T09:02:54","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T09:02:54","slug":"how-to-do-penetration-testing-step-by-step","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/easydmarc.com\/blog\/how-to-do-penetration-testing-step-by-step\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Do Penetration Testing Step by Step"},"content":{"rendered":"

Technology evolves for both the good and bad. Tech gurus create new software and systems to make processes more accessible, efficient, and precise; while on the other hand, hackers evolve their techniques to exploit IT infrastructure weaknesses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why companies invest in <\/span>penetration testing activities<\/b>\u2014to spot and fix vulnerabilities before threat actors exploit them.<\/span><\/p>\n

This blog will help you learn <\/span>how to do penetration testing step by step<\/b>, but first, let\u2019s see <\/span>what penetration testing is<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Penetration Testing?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Penetration testing, or pentesting for short, is a simulated cyberattack technique where an expert identifies vulnerabilities in an IT structure to fix them before someone uses them to their advantage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They mimic an attack by following all the possible paths through which hackers can infiltrate a system. Pentesting also assesses the ability of bad actors to breach a system unseen as many cyberattacks occur without an organization\u2019s knowledge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like anything, there are several <\/span>risks and benefits of penetration testing<\/span><\/a>. Still, in today\u2019s cyber landscape, the pros typically outweigh the cons.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can imagine pentesting as a situation where a millionaire secures all the points a burglar can use to enter their mansion. They\u2019ll check all the windows, doors, basements, AC ducts, chimneys, roofs, etc. to ensure nobody can break into their building.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s go through the steps required to <\/span>perform penetration testing<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 1: Planning<\/b><\/h2>\n

Planning is the first step and a vital process in pentesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

To secure your IT infrastructure from potential attacks,\u00a0 you need to plan everything in advance. Here\u2019s what\u2019s outlined before starting the actual test.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are You Testing?<\/b><\/h3>\n

The process starts by understanding what information assets are present in an IT structure and how to classify them. Determining factors include the business functions they support, asset owners, and the sensitivity and criticality of each asset to the organization.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An information asset is defined as any asset used to store, handle, or process data typically required to perform critical business functions (CBFs). These include servers, storage media, databases, computers, user devices, email communications, and paperwork records.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why in-depth quantitative and\/or qualitative analyses of each IT asset is also crucial for accurate classification.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, asset classification helps determine what, when, and how often to <\/span>perform penetration testing <\/b>based on the following factors:<\/span><\/p>\n